Cuba officially joined the Regional Network of Model Forests of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC-Net) on Jul. 5 through a project to cultivate tropical plants on 30,000 hectares in the central province of Villa Clara. Aníbal Torrecilla, an expert with the forest service of the Agriculture Ministry, told Tierramérica that the tree planting will take place over 15 years in Corralillo and Santo Domingo, the territory's areas of greatest “forestry potential”.

“The government has expressed its will to continue increasing the country's forest cover and to directly benefit the community, which will contribute labor and will be able to improve living conditions in harmony with nature,” said Torrecilla.

The plan is supported by the Canadian Agency for International Development.